ZUS Coffee continues to reap the rewards of a successful draft haul that has propelled their rise in the 2025 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference.
The Thunderbelles have come a long way from their lottery-team days, with rookies AC Miner, Riza Nogales, and Mycah Go playing key roles in a campaign that has led them to a franchise-first semifinal appearance.
“‘Pag tama yung pieces, pag tama yung na-pick mo, eh ‘di siyempre malaking tulong,” said Yee following their straight-set rout of Capital1 in the quarterfinals on Monday.
ZUS Coffee emerged as the draft-night winners of the 2025 PVL Rookie Draft, selecting AC Miner with the fifth overall pick, Go at 17th, and Nogales — the undisputed steal of the night — with the 25th pick.
Both Miner and Nogales have been pivotal as starters, while Go has provided quality minutes off the bench in a campaign that saw ZUS Coffee finish second in the elimination round with an impressive 7-1 record — another franchise best.
(C) PVL Images
“Mahirap talaga pag kulang yung pieces. This year, nadagdagan kami, and nasa first six nga yung dalawang rookies namin, so malaking tulong. Happy kami na ganun nga,” Yee said.
The addition of these rookies, alongside free-agent signings Fiola Ceballos, Chai Troncoso, and Alyssa Eroa, has transformed ZUS Coffee into a formidable force in the league.
Mainstay setter Cloanne Mondoñedo echoed Yee’s sentiments, noting that the team’s success comes from everyone stepping up and executing their roles on the court.
“Same lang with Coach Jerry, yung addition ni AC, Riza, Ate Ly, and Anna, sobrang malaking bagay talaga, and Ate Fiola. Siguro maganda din ito para sa amin para mag-ready sa next [All-Filipino] conference,” Mondoñedo said.
With everything clicking, Mondoñedo said the Thunderbelles feel confident heading into their semifinals clash against PLDT on Thursday. She emphasized that everyone fulfilling their roles will be key to reaching the franchise’s first-ever finals.
“Ako talaga personally, sabi ko sa kanila enjoyin lang namin yung game. And then, sumunod lang kami sa system. And then, sa instruction ng coaches, lahat naman yung mag-fofollow.”
